What to expect as a cancer patient in the 3 Counties Cancer Network (April 2012)
The 3 Counties Cancer Network would like to bring your attention to the following documents which are a result of the combined work of the User and Supportive and Palliative care groups across the Network.
Please click here for the covering letter from Paul Baker, Chair of the Network Partnership Group.
Please click here for the explanatory notes of the 3 documents.
Please click here for the Key Worker Guidelines.
Please click here for the Holistic Needs Assessment document and here for an example of the Distress Thermometer.
Please click here for the Principles of Care for People with Cancer document.
Macmillan Renton Unit - Hereford Hospital opened on 4th July 2011
From the 4th July 2011 all patient appointments will be taking place in the new Macmillan Renton Unit (MRU).
There are two main points of access to the new unit.
1. If you have a disability or difficulty walking then there are three short stay disabled parking spaces and a drop off point that can be accessed by driving past the existing Charles Renton Unit (CRU) and turn right the end of the hutted ward (Dore Ward) opposite the CRU.
2. The existing parking spaces for patients currently attending the CRU will remain available for the new Macmillan Renton Unit. If using these spaces the easiest way to enter the MRU is via the hutted ward corridor. The entrance to the MRU lies between Dore and Monnow Wards.
When entering the MRU you will pass the new Macmillan Cancer information and Support Centre and the beverage bay. Please feel free to drop into the Information Centre at any time between 9.30am and 4.30pm where Alison, Macmillan Information & Support Advisor, or one of the team of volunteers will be pleased to assist with any of your Information or Support needs.
The beverage bay will continue to be run by our volunteers serving tea, coffee, squash, water and biscuits. This is a free service but in order to continue to provide this service we are always grateful for any donations towards costs.
The reception desk is immediately to the left of the beverage bay. Please check in at reception or if you are attending for a chemotherapy appointment then there is a touch screen self-check in system opposite the reception desk behind the beverage bay.
From the reception desk you will see the waiting area so please take a seat and wait to be called for your appointment.
The layout of the new unit is very different. This is a new experience for all of us and we hope that the new surroundings will make your time with us a little easier. We will do our utmost to ensure that the transfer runs as smoothly as possible but please bear with us a little in the early days as we all adjust to the new environment. If you do have any comments (good and bad) about the new unit please do not hesitate to let us know. We will put a book on the reception desk for you to fill in your feedback or just let a member of staff know and they can note it down for you.
Improving Outcome A Strategy for Cancer
The Coalition Government has set out a simple aim: to deliver health outcomes that are among the best in the world. To achieve this aim, they have set out radical plans for the health and social care services. These plans are underpinned by three, mutually-reinforcing principles:
to put the patient or service user at the heart of the public services transforming the relationship between citizen and service through the principle of no decision about me without me; to orientate the NHS, public health and social care services towards delivering the improvements in outcomes which matter rather than measuring processes which do not; and to empower local organisations and professionals to deliver the freedoms to innovate and to drive improvements in services which deliver care of the highest quality for all patients and service users.
The Improving Outcomes A Strategy for January 2011 sets out the Coatilition's aims for cancer care.
Please click on the link below to access the report
The GP Practice Patient Survey Results (added 25th March 2011)
This Department of Health survey, run by survey specialist Ipsos MORI, assesses patients experiences of local NHS services. Since April 2009, the GP Patient Survey has been running as a quarterly survey and is sent to a different sample of patients from each GP practice every quarter. A different coloured questionnaire is sent out each quarter to different patients registered with a GP. Please click the link below and follow the instructions to access the results for your local GP Practice.
- GP Practice Patient Survey
GP Practice Patient Survey Results - January 2010 - December 2010.
- The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey
Trust Reports
Network Update - July 2011
The Network Update report provides information on projects, meetings, and news within the 3 Counties and has been circuated at all user group meetings. Please click on link below.
National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2010 (added 1st July 2011)
3 Counties Cancer Network Patient Experience Team and the Network Partnership Group have analysed the data and comment reports from across the Network linking in closely with the work done by the user members in the Gloucestershire User Group and have grouped the questions into the following categories:
Late diagnosis
Verbal Communication
Written Information Provision
Health Professional access and performance (includes Clinicians/Doctors/CNS and general nursing provision.
General Care and Treatment
Waiting times in Outpatient Departments for appointments.
The Network Partnership Group have agreed that an 80% baseline will be the accepted percentage score and that any questions with percentage scores below 80% regardless of whether they are in the lowest 20%, highest 20% or the remaining 60% of Trusts will be discussed and analysis carried out across the Network and tumour groups. At the Network Partnership Group meeting in June it was agreed to advise the 3 Counties Cancer Network Board that the Partnership Groups main priority was to identify possible areas and initiatives where waiting times for chemotherapy could be reduced to improve the patient experience and this will be included in their work plan for 2011/2012.
Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 61%
Herefordshire Hospital Trust - 68%
Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust (all Worcestershire) 73%
The highest Trust percentage score was 88%
All locality user groups will be working together to identify where improvements can be made and will be reporting recommendations back to the Network Partnership Group.
Please see link below to download the comparison report for the three hospital trusts within the Network (Note the report for Worcestershire - covers all hospitals within the county)
3 Counties Cancer Network Keyworker Policy
The Network Partnership Group are pleased to report that the 3 Counties Cancer Network Keyworker Policy has been approved. Paul Baker (Chair) presented this policy to the 3 Counties Cancer Network Board at their meeting on 21st September and asked for their ratification and implementation to ensure that all patients within the 3 Counties Cancer Network have a named Keyworker at all stages of their pathway.
The Network Partnership Group will undertake an audit to monitor and evaluate adherence. The guidelines will be reviewed in line with Peer Review requirements.
3 Counties Cancer Network Partnership Group Annual Report 2009- added 1st July 2010
The Network Partnership Group is delighted to publish their annual report for 2009. It is now a requirement for cancer networks to demonstrate:
evidence of diverse involvement;
the use of feedback so that all service users know what happens as a result of their involvement
innovation in user involvement
a variety of methods to involve users
actions being taken by the Network Partnership Group to increase the effectiveness of members work (e.g., training events, support systems)
actions being taken by the Network Partnership Group to broaden and increase the membership base.
You will see from the report that considerable advance has been made towards achieving these objectives and everyone is working hard to ensure that we are building on our success.
Please click on the link below to access this report. If you would like a hard copy please contact Mel Burgoyne on 08454 221558 or e-mail melanie.burgoyne@glos.nhs.uk
Tackling Cancer Inequalities - One Year On.
Following an extensive inquiry in 2009, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer (APPGC) published a report last December onthe unacceptable inequalities experienced by cancer patients in England, and made recommendations to address these inequalities. The report was warmly welcomed by the then Secretary of State for Health, Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, National Cancer Director,Professor Sir Mike Richards, and the wider cancer community. Tackling Cancer Inequalities One Year is a report to show progress made to date. Please click on the link below to access this report
3 Counties Cancer Network Partnership Group - Communication Policy (7th December 2010)
As part of the Network Partnership Group's user involvement strategy and work plan for 2010-11 we have drafted a communication policy to ensure effective involvement and two way communication at all levels with the 3 Counties Cancer Network and the wider community. The draft communication policy will try to ensure that we communicate with seldom heard and hard to reach groups. We should be grateful to receive your comments on this draft document please contact Mel Burgoyne Tel 08454 221558 or email melanie.burgoyne@glos.nhs.uk
- Network Partnership Group Communication Policy
Please feed any comments back to Mel Burgoyne
Personal Folder wins Award at National Competition (September 2010)
Version 4 of the Personal Folder won a Highly Commended Award at the 2010 British Medical Association's Patient Information Awards in London. The folder was one of 53 shortlisted from hundreds of entries. Competition was stiff as the folder was up against information produced by national charities. Lynne attended the Awards ceremony along with Margaret Clayton-Ives, a member of the Network Patient Information Forum, at BMA House, Tavistock Square, London on 14th September 2010.
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Access to Cancer Drugs September 2010
The first phase of the interim cancer drugs fund is operational with effect from 1st October 2010. This will provide access to new cancer drugs that are not currently commissioned through existing arrangements.
The South West Strategic Health Authority has been allocated £4.8 million and the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority has been allocated £5.4 million. For details about accessing these funds as a patient in 3 Counties Cancer Network please see the following websites:
